How many kilometers a day is it okay to walk? What’s the risk if you walk more than that?
Walking is considered one of the easiest and most effective exercises. It not only helps maintain a healthy heart, but also plays an important role in weight control, improving mood, and keeping the body active. But people often wonder how much walking a day is appropriate, and can excessive walking be harmful? According to experts at the health information website goodrx, the ideal walking distance varies from person to person, depending on their fitness level, age, health status, and walking speed. A person who exercises regularly can comfortably cover a greater distance than a beginner.
Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. This means you can walk briskly for about 25 minutes six days a week. Typically, this distance can be around 2 to 3 kilometers, although it depends on the individual’s pace. The goal of walking 10,000 steps per day is quite popular, but experts say it’s not a magic number. One study found that people who walked approximately 7,000 steps daily had a reduced risk of premature death. However, there wasn’t a significant difference in health benefits between those who walked 7,000 and more than 10,000 steps. Now, what are the claims being made about 4,000 steps?
Excessive walking isn’t beneficial for everyone. If the body doesn’t get enough rest and continues to walk excessively, it can lead to overtraining. In such situations, the body begins to give signals that shouldn’t be ignored. If you experience muscle pain for a long time after a walk, your body feels heavy, you are constantly tired, or your performance decreases compared to before, then this could be a sign that you are walking more than necessary. Apart from this, frequent sprains, injuries, decreased desire to walk, increased irritability, loss of appetite, and frequent colds are also considered signs of overexertion.
Experts believe that it is more important to remain active according to your capacity rather than chasing a fixed number. If you are starting to walk, then gradually increase the distance and time. Fit people can increase the speed, distance, or frequency of walking according to their capacity.